Controller for dry eye treatment systems

Abstract

Controllers for dry eye treatment apparatus and methods are described herein which generally comprise a patch or strip affixed to the skin of the upper and/or lower eyelids to deliver heat to the one or more meibomian glands contained within the underlying skin. The treatment strip or strips include one or more strips configured to adhere to an underlying region of skin in proximity to one or both eyes of a subject such that the one or more strips allow for the subject to blink naturally without restriction from the one or more patches. A controller is in communication with the one or more strips and is programmable to monitor a temperature of the one or more strips to provide a treatment therapy above a threshold temperature of, e.g., 39° C., and below a maximum temperature of, e.g., 48° C., over a treatment period of 12 minutes.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A treatment system for meibomian gland dysfunction and dry eye syndrome, comprising:
 one or more strips each having a contact surface and configured to adhere the contact surface to an underlying region of skin in proximity to one or both eyes of a subject such that the one or more strips are configured to assume a curvature of the underlying region of skin when adhered and to allow for the subject to blink naturally with minimal, or no restriction such that the one or more strips are non-obtrusive to the subject when adhered; and 
 a controller in communication with the one or more strips, wherein the controller is programmable to monitor and induce a temperature in the one or more strips to provide a therapy, 
 wherein the one or more strips are connected to a coupler via respective flexible connectors to accommodate a relative positioning of the one or more strips as the subject blinks, the coupler being in communication with the controller which is further programmable to detect an incomplete adherence of one of the one or more strips on the underlying region of skin, wherein the one or more strips are narrower than the coupler, and wherein a proximal terminal end of the coupler and a distal terminal end of the coupler are closer to the one or more strips than to the controller, 
 wherein the one or more strips are configured to emit thermal energy to the underlying region of skin, and wherein the one or more strips each have a first curved or arcuate periphery which is shaped to extend and follow a border of one or more meibomian glands contained within the underlying region of skin and a second periphery which is shaped to extend and follow a free margin of an upper or lower eyelid. 
 
     
     
       2. The system of  claim 1  wherein the controller comprises a temperature controller. 
     
     
       3. The system of  claim 1  wherein the controller is configured to have a threshold temperature of 39° C. 
     
     
       4. The system of  claim 3  wherein the controller is configured to have a maximum temperature of 50° C. 
     
     
       5. The system of  claim 4  wherein the controller is configured to have a treatment period of less than 60 minutes. 
     
     
       6. The system of  claim 1  wherein the controller is programmed to provide a treatment temperature of 42° C.+/−1° C. 
     
     
       7. The system of  claim 1  wherein the controller is programmed to maintain a treatment therapy at the temperature of 50° C. for a predetermined cumulative period of time. 
     
     
       8. The system of  claim 1  further comprising a power source having a charge sufficient for at least five heat treatment cycles with each cycle lasting a predetermined period of time. 
     
     
       9. The system of  claim 8  wherein the controller is programmed to prohibit a treatment therapy when the power source is below a threshold value. 
     
     
       10. The system of  claim 1  wherein the controller is programmed to automatically shut power off from the one or more strips when a connector coupled to the one or more strips is disconnected from the controller. 
     
     
       11. The system of  claim 1  wherein the controller is programmed to provide an automatic shutoff after a period of inactivity. 
     
     
       12. The system of  claim 1  wherein the one or more strips comprise a heating layer in thermal communication with the underlying region of skin. 
     
     
       13. The system of  claim 1  wherein the controller is programmed to provide an auditory, visual, or haptic indicator for communicating with a user. 
     
     
       14. The system of  claim 1  further comprising a usage tracking mechanism in communication with the controller. 
     
     
       15. The system of  claim 1  wherein the controller is programmed to detect discrepancies in temperatures in the one of the one or more strips that indicate the incomplete adherence of the one of the one or more strips on the underlying region of skin. 
     
     
       16. The system of  claim 1  wherein the controller is programmed to increase the temperature automatically at predetermined temperatures. 
     
     
       17. The system of  claim 16  wherein the controller is programmed to stop the increase of temperature if a limit temperature is detected on the one or more strips.